Drinking water for 12.68 lakh people in 568 border villages

TNN | Updated: May 16, 2018, 12:08 IST

New hope for villagers

JAISALMER: The PHED depertment has laid a pipeline by cutting through rocks under the sand for the much awaited drinking water scheme of western Rajasthan that will be completed by October this year. It will cater to around 12.68 lakh people in 568 villages of Jaisalmer and Barmer districts, besides meeting the drinking water needs of the Armed forces deployed in the border districts. Barmer district collector Shivprasad Madan Nakate said work on the two projects, Gudamalani-Chauhatan and Ramsar-Sheo associated with the Narmada canal water, that was stalled for past two years will be restarted soon. Along with the need of water the proposed refinery at Pachpadra will also be fulfilled. PHED principal secretary Rajat Mishra said the two water projects will be completed in September-October and 12.68 lakh people of 563 villages will get drinking water. The projects of Rs 1,500 crore is in its last phase. In the initial phase in 2011 Rs 1,454.20 crore was sanctioned and the project was started in 2012-13. Mishra added that water for this project is being taken via Rd 1253 Nachna of IGNP (Indira Gandhi Nahar Project) in Jaisalmer district and till April Rs 1,349.97 crore were spent. The Army, out of Rs 73.54 crore has deposited Rs 47 crore with PHED department. Along with the need of water the proposed refinery at Pachpadra will also be fulfilled. The brain behind this project, Kailash Ramdev, said both projects were really a challenge for PHED department, laying pipeline under the sand, crossing Luni River by laying a tunnel etc. A few contractors had left the work incomplete due to which the project was delayed and cost of the project also increased. But with help from all sections, now the work is in its last stage and pipe of 1,555mm was laid. The pipeline was laid for 300 kms and soon the work of Bagundi crossing in Barmer will be completed and villagers will get drinking water. Till now villagers of both the districts were drinking saline water or facing shortage of drinking water.

On the other hand another project in Barmer associated with Narmada canal has got the green signal with efforts by Barmer district collector Nakate. He said the work was stalled as the department did not get NOC from forest department and NHAI. The forest department considering Chauhatan Ramsar area as green belt did not give NOC and now with an NOC the work will start again. In this project pipeline will be laid for 1,300 kms. This is a big project for border villages.